Mechanism for walking toys



April 23, 1940. Q LARSEN 1 2,197,892

MECHANISM FOR WALKING TOYS Filed March 11 195a s Sheets-Sheet 1 I f T 44+ 40 42 1 (er/Zara? April 23, 1940.

C. LARSEN MECHANISM FOR WALKING TOYS Filed March 11, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor :Iffnrncux F April 23; 19.40.

c. LARSEN 1 2,197,892

" MECHANISM FOR WALKING TOYS Filed March 11, 1958 s Sheets-Shet, s I

lnvenior (Zr/Zaraezi M 5 gm W Patented Apr. 23, 1940 fumes! S ES I This invention relates-broadly to walking toys and more particularly to an improved mecha-v nism foroperating the limbs or,-legs of such"v toys. r5: Particularly the invention is concerned with the provision of an. improved mechanismfor use in connection with walking toys of the fquadrupedal type and aims to provide a mechanism which will tend to give a more or less natural movement to the limbs or legs.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a studyof the following description takenin connection,

with the accompanyingwdrawings wherein.-

in elevation illustrating my improved mechanism in association with a quadrupedal animal-simulating toy,

, Figures 2, 3 and 4' are detail viewstaken.sub- I 20 stantially on the lines 2-2, 3-3 and 4 -5 respectively of Figure 1, a

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the'line 5-'-5.of Figure'zl; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pawl rod, 25 Figure 7 is a perspective view of a spring member, c v

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a reciprocating bar hereinafter more fully referred to; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a trip mem- 30 her also hereinafter more fully referred to.

Referring to the drawings more in detail it will be seen that I have shown such portions of a'toy'as deemed necessary fora proper understanding of the invention, as for example the 35 torso or body 5 of the toy, and the legs 6, the

- body 5 and legs 6 being hollow as shown.

Mounted within the body 5 of the toy isle bracket plate I secured Within the'body in any suitable manner. 40 At each end thereof the plate 'Iis provided with two pairs of bearinglugs, the lugs of each pair being indicated by the reference numerals 8.- Journaled in each pair of lugs 8 is a rod or shaft 9 that is provided at one end with what 45 may be termed a leg-arm IIJ thatisaccommo dated within a leg 6 of the animal while at the bar l2 connecting the arms ll of'one pair of shafts 9 and the bar l3 paralleling the bar [2 and connecting the arms ll of a second pair of w shafts 9. To receive theends'of the bars l2zand V ,A' frame comprising side bars l8 and transe Figure l is a view partly in section andpartly l3 arms II are bifurcated asnshown and are equipped with pivots l4 whereby the bars are. pivoted to the respective arms 1 l.-

The plate 1 is provided on the underside there of and extending longitudinally of the plate at n 5. the longitudinal median thereof, with a.; rib l5 At its opposite ends the rib I5 is provided with depending extensions l6, that in turn are pro-, vided with inwardly directed fixed pivotelements orpins I'L. v 10 verse end bars I9 is provided, and the endbars' l9 intermediate their ends are, equipped with openings as at I 9 to receive thepivot pins --I'I through the medium of which the aforementionedflframe is pivotallysuspended from: the

xbracketplate 1. p n The leg-arms H] are suitably equipped at their:

lower ends asat to accommodate shortshafts. 2| that serve as axlesfor rollers 22, provided for 20 the legs fi of the animal.- I Theside barslB of the aforementioned frame are provided adjacent the ends thereof ,with apertures which receive the offset hook-like. ends 23 of pawl rods 24'. a I. v

,The pawl rods 24 are accommodated withinthe legs 6 of the toy, and cooperate: with ratchet wheels 25" provided on the hubs oftherollers 22 in response to the swinging of-theframe l8 laterally to the end that whenefone pair of pawl rods 24 are engaged with the ratchet gwheels 25 associated with the legs 6 of thetoy atone side of the latter the other pair of pawl rods are raised out of engagement withjthe ratchet wheels associated with the legs 6 of the; toy at the op posite side of the latter as clearly shown in Fig-- ure5.' For rocking the; aforementioned frame (embodying the side bars l8 andend bars l9) firs t laterally in one direction and-.then-in areverse 4 direction as the toy moves forwardly thereis' providedon one of the side bars l8 avdepending plate 26 provided with a horizontalcnotch 21 opening through one vertical-"edge "of the plate' as shownin Figure 1'. 3 t 3 Also extending downwardly fromv the rib [5' intermediate the ends of thelatterisa bearing plate 28 that is disposed opposite toa bearing plate 29 depending from one side edge of: the

bracket plate :1. Rotatably supportedlbetween 0 the bearing plates 28, 29 is ashaft 30 that is pro vided-vwith an arm-like projection 3'| having ex-.-' tending therefrom a finger ;32,e ngagingin the v aforementioned notch 21 of plateZG as clearly I shown in Figuresl and 3.0 Itwill thus beiseen that as the shaft member at is rotated in one direction movement thereof will be transmitted to the aforementioned frame for rocking the same in one direction while when the shaft 30 is rotated in a reverse direction said frame will also be caused to swing in a direction opposite to that first mentioned.

The aforementioned shaft 30 is releasably held in the position to which rotated through the medium of a spring 33 preferably of the shape suggested inFigure '7, andthis spring 33 has an upper tapered end thereof suitably anchored to the plate 1 and a lower wider end notched as at 34 to engage a suitable projection 35 provided therefor on the aforementioned-shaft 30 as best shown in Figure 4.

Also for rocking the shaft 33 incidental to the 7 travel or movement of the toy there are provided on the bar 13 a pair of relatively spaced inclined lugs 36, 3'! that normally accommodate therebetween a trip lugor extension 38 also provided on the aforementioned shaft 30 and as will be clear from a study of Figures 1, 4 and 8. It will thus be seen that as the bar i3moves in one direction lug 36 thereon will engage the member to cause the shaft-3B to rock in one direction while when the bar l3 moves in a reverse direction lug 31 will engage the member 38 to rock the shaft 30 in a reverse direction; the rocking of the shaft in this manner causing the aforementioned frame embodying the side bars Hi to first rock in one direction and then in a reverse direction so that in alternation one pair of legs have the rollers 22 thereof momentarily latched against 'rotative movement while the rollers 22 associated with the other pair of legs are unlatched and free to rotate. the latched-rollers 22 first on one side of the toy and then on the other will frictionally engage the ground and drag along the same. Frictional resistance to forward travel of the drag ing rollers will cause the related legs 3 to be swung from a forward to a rearward position. By means presently described, rearward swinging of the legs on one side of the toy will cause the pair on the other side to be sw-ung from a rearward to a forward position so that leg action is effected simulating walking. 2

The bars I 2, and l 3 'are loosely connected intermediate their ends through the medium of a cross-rod 39 which has the ends thereof loosely engaging in apertures provided in upstanding lugs All provided at the outer ends of lateral ex tensions or flanges 4| provided respectively on said bars 12 and l3-as shown in Figure 2.- Intermediate its ends; and as shown in Figure 2, the rod 39 is provided with a block 42. Block 42 is provided with a vertical opening which accommodates a fixed pivot rod 43 that depends from the aforementioned bearing plate 28 as best one of the extensions will strike the member'43 when the bar 43 moves in one direction to limit further movementof the bar in said direction,

while when the bar l3 moves in a reverse direc-' tion the other of the extensions 44 will engage the pivot rod'43 to-limit further movement of the bar I3 in this last-named direction.

Thus under forward travel of the toy,

Also referring to Figure 2 it will be noted that the extensions 23 on the lower ends of the legarms H are suitably slotted as at 23 in the top portions thereof to accommodate the lower portions of the pawl rods 24 so as to act as guides for 5 these pawl rods.

It will also be noted that at the lower ends thereof the pawl rods 24 are reversely bent to provide a suitable head for each pawl rod to engage its associated ratchet wheel 25. 10

While'it is believed that a clear understanding of the invention may be had from the foregoing a brief description thereof may be set out as follows:

Referring now to the operation and beginning 15 v with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1 wherein the legs 3 on the far side of the toy are in forward position and the rollers 22 thereof latched, under forward travel of the toy said latched rollers 22 dragging over the ground will 20 cause rearward swinging'of the leg-arms ID on the far side of the toy, together with the'related legs 6 andxcrank arms ll. Such movement/of said arms ll moves the bar l2 rearwardly. The lug 43 of bar 12 swings its adjacent end ofthe 25 cross rod39 about the relatively fixed pivot rod 53 in-a direction such that the bar I3 is moved forwardly by coaction of the other end of said cross rod with the lug of bar I3. This forward movement of the bar 13 swings the crank 30 arms ti on the near side of the toy forwardly and hence the related leg-arms I0 and legs 6 onthe near side of the toy, the unlatched rollers 22 on the near side being, as will be remembered, conditioned forrolling and thereby permitting free forward movement oftheir. related legs 6, legarmsi Hlv and crank arms. ll. At this point, it may be mentioned that the limits of forward and rearward movement'of the bar. flare established by engagement of the lugs 44, M- with the pivot, 0 rod 43, respectively, and the bar l3 being coupled to bar 12 by cross rod .39- corresponding limits of movement of the bar l2 are cestablishedas will be clean, Forward and rearward movements of the legs. tion the near andfar'sides of the. toy are established by such limitation of movement of the..ba-rsl3.and l:2.- .Under forward movementlof the bar l3, the lug 37 engages the trip lug 38 on the shaft 30 and rocks the latter clockwiseas viewed ,in Figure'l, also the finger 32. [Q The finger 32 through .coa'ction with thenotch 21 ofplate 26 pulls the frame bar It on the near side of. the toy downwardly, thereby causingv elevation ofthe frame bars l8 on the far side. This action of said bars I8 unlatches the rollers 22 u; on the .far side and latches those on the near side. inga manner which has already been ex plained; Such rocking of-shaft 30- swings the projection 35 past a dead center position relative to the axis of said shaft and the point of 0. attachment of the spring33, whereby said shaft is yieldinglyheld by said spring against rocking in the. opposite direction; The rollers 22 on the near side of the toynow being latched, whereas, those on the far side are now unlatched and the legsfi thereof in their rearward limits of movement; further forward travel of the toy will result in rearward swinging of the legs 6 on the near side together with-the corresponding legarms Ill and crank arms H and also rearward movement of the bar l3. Under rearward movement of bar l3, cross rod 39 is swung about pivot 43. in a direction to move the bar l2 forwardly through coaction of said rod with lug 40' of bar [2 and thus effect forward swinging of the legs 7;;

6 on the far side in a manner which will now be clear.

' lug 36 engages trip lug 38 and rocks shaft 39 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, thereby, through coaction of finger 32 with notch 21 of plate 26 elevating the frame bar l8 on the near side of the toy and lowering bar IS on the ment of the legs 6 and unlatched in the rearward,

Further 'pull limits of movement of said legs. on the toy forwardly will result in repetition of the operations set forth so that the legs 6 of the toy simulate walking.

Having thus described the invention claimed as new is:

1. In a quadrupedal toy, the combination of a torso and front and rear legs, a bracket plate mounted within said torso, pairs of shafts rockably supported on said plate, there being one shaft for each leg. and each shaft having a legarm extending into a leg of the toy and a crank arm within the torso, reciprocating bar connecting the crank arms in pairs, whereby the legs at each side of the toy will swing in unison.

2. In a quadrupedal toy, the combination of a torso and front and rear legs, a bracket plate what is -mounted within said torso, pairs of shafts rockpawl arms accommodated within said legs,said

pawl arms having lower ends to engage the Under rearward movement of bar [3,,

In the counterclockwise rocking of shaft the sides of said frame whereby when said frame the pawl arms at the rising side of said frame will move upwardly out of engagement with their ratchetwheels, and means operating in re and then-in a reverse direction.

3. In a quadrupedal toy, the combination of a torso andfront and rear legs, a bracket plate mounted within said torso, pairs of shafts rock-'" i ably supported on said plate, there being one shaft for each leg, and each shaft having a legby said bracket plate, ratchet wheel equipped ratchet wheels and upper'ends connected with sponse to the reciprocatory movement, of said bars for rocking said frame first in one direction 10 arm extending into a leg of the toy and a crank 7 arm within the torso, reciprocating bars'-con-- rollers journaled in the lower .ends of said legs,.

pawl arms accommodated within said legs, said pawl arms having lower ends to engage the 1 ratchet wheels and upper ends connected with the sides of said frame whereby when said frame is tilted laterally in one direction the pawl arms their ratchet wheels, and means operating in response to the reciprocatory movement of said' bars for rocking said frame first in one direction and then in a reverse direction, said means ineluding a short shaft rotatably supported transversely of said bracket plate means operatively I connecting said shaft with one side of said frame for transmitting rocking movement of the shaft to the frame to tilt the latter in either direction, and inter-engaging means on said shaft and on one of said bars for rocking the shaft in either of two directions incidental to the reciprocatory movement of said one of said bars. 3

' CARL LARs N, 

